Page 284 of Historical Hotties
Cristano’s jaw twitched with emotion. “Because the new Earl of Stafford and Tamworth brought his own knights,” Cristano said. “He has bitterly and without cause exiled us from a castle we have taken great care of for many years. Two of those years have been since the death of Lord Robert. But still, we were given no consideration. We were dismissed as if our service did not matter in the least. We beg you to consider our fealty.”
Rotri was struggling to process it all. He looked at Domnall, who seemed equally surprised. “Isthatwhy you have come?” he said. “Because de Reyne threw you out?”
“Aye, my lord. Most unfairly, I might add.”
Oh, but this was a surprising bit of news. When Rotri had entered the hall, he hadn’t expected this. So Thor de Reyne had taken possession of Stafford Castle and dismissed de Tosni’s knights, had he? That was an extremely interesting development, but it was also fortuitous one.
Veryfortuitous.
For the entire journey from London back to Dordon Castle, Rotri and Domnall had been discussing how they could create a situation that would see Thor fall into their hands. If they wanted to ransom the man, they had to get their hands on him, and as Rotri looked at the three knights in front of him, he could only see men that had been wronged by de Reyne. Slandered, even. They were clearly bitter about it.
Perhaps they were men who would jump at the chance to get even.
That brought about Rotri’s ideas that he and Domnall had come up with on the journey north. They’d had nothing but time on their hands to scheme. After much discussion, they had decided to carry out a raid to draw Thor out of the castle, which was most important if they wanted to get a clear shot at him. If Thor remained holed up in that fortified castle, there was noway they would ever be able to get to him. No way they could touch him. But if they were able to draw him out in some kind of skirmish, that might be their only opportunity to abduct him. But now, with the appearance of de Lucera and his cousins, it was as if God was confirming his scheme by way of these cast-out Stafford knights.
He couldn’t believe his luck.
“You say that you were unfairly dismissed?” Rotri said.
Cristano nodded. “We were not even allowed to take our possessions,” he said. “I had to leave most of my expensive weaponry behind, along with my money. My cousins, too. This woman was cast out without anything at all, and she tended the de Tosni children since birth. We are all victims of de Reyne’s greed and unjust ways. Will you not help us, my lord?”
He was indicating the woman sitting next to him, wrapped up in brown robes, but Rotri didn’t give her a glance. “Of course I will,” he said, trying not to sound too eager. “It just so happens that de Reyne has been unfair to us, also. In fact, my son and I have been discussing ways to exact justice on the man. Now that I hear your story, I would assume you might be interested in the same, eh?”
Cristano didn’t even seem surprised by the suggestion. It seemed to perk him up. “Justice against de Reyne?” he said. “Those are sweet words, my lord. What did you have in mind?”
Rotri told him.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“Put your handhere,” she whispered, putting his palm against her breast. “Let me feel you against me, your flesh to mine.”
Thor didn’t need to be told twice. It was early in the morning, and he’d already made love to her twice the night before, but she tended to like it in the morning, too. This woman who had looked at intimacy with a husband as a duty and a horror now couldn’t get enough of it when it came to Thor. Not that he minded. With a growl, he picked up his wife and carried her to their bed, a very big bed that had once belonged to Robert.
But no one thought about that.
Now, it belonged only to them.
Once on the mattress, he loosened the fastenings on her surcoat, pulling at them as she helped him. There was eagerness in her movements and in his. When he yanked the bodice down, he tore her shift a little in his eagerness and snorted as she giggled, but it didn’t stop his momentum. He yanked again, freeing her breasts, and his mouth clamped down onto a warm and tender nipple.
As he suckled her furiously, Caledonia cried out softly, holding his head to her breast as if he were a starving child nursing against her. She hadn’t been allowed to nurse herown children, so there was something innate and intimate and satisfying for Thor to suckle her. She never knew she liked it until he did it, and these days, he took great delight in her breasts. As if they belonged to him, personally.
Perhaps they did, just a little.
Pushing her back on the bed, Thor continued to nurse hungrily at her breasts as he caressed her buttocks and stroked her inner thighs. She took his hand and put it against the dark fluff of curls between her legs, thrusting her pelvis forward and trying to entice his fingers into her body. Thor knew that and responded by slipping a finger into her tight, wet sheath, feeling her gasp with pleasure. When she began pushing her woman’s center against him, mimicking the pelvic thrusting he would soon be doing, it was all he could take. Unfastening his breeches, he put the tip of his hard, throbbing phallus against her warm and wet folds.
“Tell me you love me,” he murmured, gently kissing her chin, her mouth. “Tell me that I am your everything.”
Caledonia was bucking against him, trying to force him into her body. “I love you,” she whispered, something she had been doing for a few days now. “Give me your seed, angel. Let me bear your son and I shall never ask for more.”
I love you.Those words drove Thor wild. He thrust into her, listening to her gasp with the sheer glory of it. She cried out softly as he thrust again and again, seating himself to the hilt, feeling her tight wetness around him. It was bliss. Caledonia clung to him, wishing he could bury himself deeper. Thor was hung like a bull, something she reminded him of nightly, and it made him feel powerful and virile. He satisfied her every time, but she was so desperate for the man that she always wanted more. As he thrust into her, he was so forceful that she ended up nearly sliding off the bed on the other side. With soft laughter, he had to pull her back onto the mattress so they couldcontinue. Caledonia wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately as he made love to her. With every thrust, he rubbed his pelvis against hers, and she could feel sparks when their bodies met. Those sparks always ignited a wildfire, and even though neither of them wanted this to end quickly, it was difficult staving off the blaze.
As usual, the blaze flared and Thor couldn’t hold back his release. Caledonia put a hand down between them, feeling him as he climaxed into her body, but in doing so, she touched herself and climaxed along with him. Thor held her tightly, feeling her curious and loving hands between them, touching him, caressing him.
It was a magical moment.
“I love you,” he murmured into her ear. “I cannot remember when I haven’t loved you.”
Caledonia pulled her face from the crook of his neck, smiling at him. “I remember when you didnotlove me,” she said, teasing him. “I remember being thrown over your shoulder and hauled around like a sack of grain.”
